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The Las Vegas Raiders fell to 2-9 in Week 12 following a loss to the Denver Broncos. According to Tankathon, they now hold the No. 3 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Things are only getting worse for the Raiders as starting quarterback Gardner Minshew broke his collarbone against the Broncos and is out for the season. Las Vegas was already on track to not have Minshew be the starter next season and now he may have played his last game with the team.
Tyler Brooke of The 33rd Team put together a Raiders mock draft and predicts the team to take Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders with the No. 3 pick.
“Along with Shedeur Sanders’ relationship with new Raiders minority owner Tom Brady, the Raiders have a glaring need at the quarterback position,” Brooke wrote in a Nov. 25 mock draft. “Sanders could be drafted and immediately start under center, while there’s an outside chance that the team would consider hiring Deion Sanders as head coach in place of Antonio Pierce.
“As a prospect, Sanders shows great toughness when stepping into throws when he knows he’s going to hit. He has the arm talent to deliver an accurate ball all over the field. He’s not a great athlete and won’t be a dual threat at the next level, but he has the pocket presence to avoid pressure while keeping his eyes downfield. Sanders could come in and immediately contend for the Offensive Rookie of the Year award, provided the Raiders work on building an offense around him.”
Is Shedeur Sanders Worth the No. 3 Pick?
The 2025 quarterback draft class is considered much weaker than this year’s. Sanders is starting to separate as the top prospect and Miami’s Cam Ward may be the only other quarterback worth a first-round pick.
However, it’s possible that Sanders’ value is being inflated in a weak quarterback class. His arm is good, not great, and he’s not particularly athletic. The good news is that he’s a very accurate passer and has proven his toughness. Accuracy is one of the most important things when evaluating a young quarterback and Sanders throws a very accurate ball.
What if Raiders Can’t Get Sanders?
If Sanders is the best quarterback in the class, there’s a chance he’ll be the No. 1 pick. Right now, the New York Giants have the No. 2 pick in the draft and also need a quarterback. If the Raiders can’t get ahead of them, it’s likely that they’ll be taking Sanders.
If that happens, Las Vegas could be in trouble. It remains to be seen how teams feel about Ward but he may not be worth using a top-five pick on. The Raiders may have to consider holding off on drafting a quarterback if they can’t get Sanders.
The better move may be to upgrade the offensive line with the first-round pick and take a chance on a quarterback in the second round. It’s not ideal but the Raiders can’t draft a quarterback just to draft a quarterback. They have plenty of other needs to address and could take the best player available in the first round if Sanders goes to the Giants.
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